By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce changes to his Cabinet, dropping at least one Democratic Alliance (DA) deputy minister from the executive.
The Presidency can confirm that in terms of section 93(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed the Hon. Andrew Whitfield, MP from the position of Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Competition. The President has thanked the former deputy minister for the time he served in the role.”
Ramaphosa’s office added in a statement that the president was not planning a wholesale cabinet reshuffle.
DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp said, Ramaphosa’s decision to remove Whitfield from his post as deputy trade, industry and competition minister was “a very serious development,” adding that the party’s Federal Executive would meet later on Thursday to discuss the matter.
“The Federal Executive of the DA will meet to discuss this matter, and we will communicate our position in due course,” he added.
The bargaining of positions in Cabinet was a key issue before the formation of the GNU, with parties arguing they should be based on their share of votes. There have been increasing calls from members of the ANC to act against the DA for going against the ANC on various issues, including the Employement Equity Act, National Health Insurance, the Expropriation Act and the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
Fullview learnt that the reshuffle was triggered by the fiasco involving Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s contentious appointment of chairs of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards.
At a press conference on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting of 25 June, on Thursday morning, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said she could not answer questions about the President’s Cabinet reshuffle.
“The decision to appoint and to remove or reshuffle ministers or deputy ministers – that is the sole prerogative of the President. He exercised that without consulting anyone, but that is his sole decision, so I cannot answer the question on the reshuffle,” Ntshavheni said.